DailyPost 1145
HACKATHON – PROBLEM STATEMENTS HOLD THE KEY
Hackathons as a tool to create coding solutions to technical problems has remained more on paper, trying to check bland coding skills on generic areas of technology. Not denying the fact that basic coding certainly gets tested but the harsh reality is that the coder is to find solutions to real life problems of the enterprise. What is lacking is the capability of the coders to accomplish this task and as the number of coders who achieve ease in doing this job increases, solutions will happen.
Solutions are directly related to the problems statements that are provided to them at the beginning of the coding competitions or while they perform their task in the companies they work. The challenge thrown to them in the companies here generally pertain to operations and very select few might do the problem solving part. We find large number of coders struggling in their jobs because they have never been put into laboratory conditions and results are not derived out to them.
The product development and even incremental upscaling is handed over to a specialised team and rest are free to do mundane jobs while being computer science graduates. What a waste of talent! All through their four years they have to put through problem statements from different fields. In the problem statements lie the key to a successful Hackathon. The owner should have input and output control under his control under him and the coder has to provide the solution to achieve, the process too being validated through the software developed life cycle, once the prototype is created.
Translating the functional requirements software requirement specifications has to happen seamlessly. The owner’s understanding a bit of technology and the coder’s understanding of the domain is the key to this. It’s only Hackathons that can create this skill and make it robust to take the challenge as he joins the workforce. Otherwise the battle between the owner and coder will never get settled.
MAKING AN OPERATIONAL PROBLEM STATEMENT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM.
Sanjay Sahay